Caisson.



PATBNTED MAY 10,1904.

D. D. MORAN.

CAISSON. APPLioATIoN FILED MAY 24, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

`1ro MODEL.

INVENTORI 14n/Aff,

WHNESSES @au 'mz Nomus PETERS co, PHDYULITHQ, wAsmnmoN, n, c

`PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

D. E. MORAN.

CAISSON.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 24, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NO MODEL.

INVENTOR:

By ifowzeys, Y m ffl m WI'I`NESSES:

Patented May 10, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL E. MORAN, OF MENDHAM,1 NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO EDWIN S. JARRETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND-FRANK- LIN REMINGTON,Y OF GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT.

CAISSON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters lPatent No. 7 59,388, dated May 10, 1904.

Application filed May 24, 1902. Serial No.108,835. (No model.)

.T0 LZZ whom, it 711,007/ concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL E. MoRAN,a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Mendham, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have` invented certain new and useful Improvements in Caissons,of which the following is a specification.

My invention aims to provide certain improvements in caissons whereby great economy is secured in the construction of the same by dispensing with the necessity for using a great portion of the expensive steel construction now commonly used, whereby they may be more conveniently constructed than at present, whereby the outer surface thereof may be made very smooth, and whereby greater speed inthe building and sinking of the caisson may be also secured).

My invention provides also various other advantages in details, as hereinafter specified. Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating an embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the bottom of a caisson constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view on a somewhat larger scale, showing a construction of false work especially adapted for the molding of my improved caisson. Fig. 3 is a central section of the metal portions of the caisson, the outline of the masonry portions being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. i is a plan of Fig. 3, indicating in addition a suitable outside mold for use in constructing the body of the caisson.

According to my invention I provide a caisson which is formed substantially entirely of masonry and which has a masonry outer surface, a construction which provides a very smooth outer surface without the riveted heads ordinarily presented in steel construction or the joints presented in timber construction, whereby the sinking of the caissony is greatly facilitated vand whereby also the cost is much reduced as comparl with the ordinary steel-shell caissons filled in with masonry.

Certain features of the invention are of value whatever be the form of the masonry-body;

caisson very rapidly and generally without extraneous weight and which, most important of all, forms a substantially solid pier of maximum weight supporting cross section. The Weight on such piers when' used for foundations on land acts by direct compression without appreciable transverse buckling strains, such as are present in ordinary columns, and the weight-supporting power is in substantially direct proportion to the solid cross-section. Ordinarily the internal shaft will also be filled after the caisson has been sunk to its proper depth, so as to form an entirely solid pier. v

I prefer to use concrete as the material of which the caisson is formed, and the concrete may be mixed and molded immediately on the ground where the work is going on or at some other place, and it may be .either molded in separate blocks4 or rings, in which case the caisson is built up by cementin'g the parts to- 75 gether, or it may be formed by molding one` section above another directly on the caisson, so asto form the whole in a substantially single block of concrete, or partly in one Way and partly in another. The principal reduc- 8O tion in expense arises from the fact thatIuse a removable mold as compared with the steelshell construction in which the shell amounts to little more than a non-removable mold. My improved caisson is also more convenient 55 to build, since I may have the successive sections of concrete molded either in place or otherwise.

I prefer to make not only the body of the caisson of masonry, but to extend this material continuously to substantially the lower edge of the caisson, so as to avoid the weakness found in the present caissons, in which a roof over the working chamber divides the body ofthe caisson from thelower portion immediately surrounding the working chamber and forms substantially a cleavage plane at the plane of the roof. whole of an uninterrupted mass of masonry this weakness is avoided. I preferably reinforce the lower edge of the caisson by providing a cutting edge, which may consist, for example, of a metallic band, extending' around the lower edge of the masonry and preferably extending a short distance below the edge of the masonry. When this cutting edge is combined with the continuous-masonry construction above referred to, a very cheap and strong construction is afforded, and I preferably also connect to said cutting edge a rnetallic skeleton structureembedded in the masonry above, so as to distribute throughout the mass of masonry the strains coming on the cutting edge. The cutting edge is preferably connected to the lower portion of the shaft independently of the masonry. For example, the skeleton framework referred to may extend obliquely inward and be connected at its upper end to the base portion of a shaft which extends upwardthrough the body of the caissonand is preferably of sheet-metal tubing. The body of the caisson where formed of concrete may be reinforced, preferably near its outer surface,by means of embedded metal, such as a cylindrical structure of expanded metal, metal lathing, or the like.

Referring now to the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated in the drawings, A indicates the body portion of a caisson formed of concrete and having a comparatively smooth concrete or cement outer surface B, the concrete extending continuously-that is to say, without substantial interruption-throughout the body portion and the portion C immediately surrounding the working chamber D to the lower edge of the caisson. The lower cutting edge is formed of a metal plate or band E, extending around and reinforcing the lower edge and extending upward a sufficient height to protect the sharp lower edge of concrete indicated. The shaft F for the passage Of men or material to and from the working chamber may be a circular tube of metal, as indicated, and the inner face of the concrete below the shaft may be tapered off, as indicated, to the cutting edge. The construction and material of the shaft as described are not essential. Where pneumatic pressure is to be used, the shaft should be of material which is substantially air-tight. Preferably the taper is broken by forming the concrete into a series of steps G, so that the caisson shall bear on its support with horizontal faces, and so avoid any tendency to be spread outward, as might be the case if a truly-conical surface were formed. For properly connecting the metal cutting edge E to the body of the caisson I have illustrated an open-work formed of a series of rods H, connected at their lower ends to an angle-band J, which in By forming the as shown, to the base portion of the shaft and extending outward any desired vdistance beyond the shaft, so as to make the space at the head of the working chamber as long and as wide as desired, and it is to be understood that the inner face of the concrete need notextend from the cutting edge directly to the lower edge of the shaft, but may be offset any desired distance therefrom, and also that at its lower edge adjacent to the metal cutting edge the concrete may be of any desired thickness. I propose to provide also a reinforce of metal extending throughout the body of the concrete from the bottom to the top and consisting, preferably, of a cylinder L, of expanded metal, which is preferably near the outer surface, so as to strengthen the concrete at this point. I may also provide as additional security against the spreading of the lower portion of the caisson after the ultimate weight is put on it one or more reinforcingrods extending across the lower portion thereof. For example, as illustrated in Fig. l, I may embed any number of hooks M in the concrete adjacent to the working chamber and before iilling up the working chamber connect these hooks by means of a tension-rod N, provided with a turnbuckle. The working chamber is usually filled with concrete, and the entire tension-rod, composed of the parts M and N, becomes firmly embedded therein, so as to unite the filling material with the original material of the caisson.

Where pneumatic pressure is to be used, I propose to coat the inner face of the working chamber with a coating of air-tight material, preferably using a paint containing lime or the like, so as to insure a good union between the subsequent filling and the old concrete of the caisson.

The structure of my improved caisson being clear, the manner of building the same will be obvious to those skilled in the art and may, in fact, be varied according to circumstances and the individual preferences of thc builder. Ordinarily the metallic cutting edge E, with its angle-band J and rods H, will be first set in place and then connected to the shaft F, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the reinforcing metal L placed around the same. rlhe mold for forming the wall of the working chamber may be any suitable removable mold. Preferably I employ the construction shown in Fig. 2, in which a series of horizontal and vertical boards O and P are held in place by means of U- bolts Q, extending around the rods H and having nuts at their outer ends, which are subsc- IIO reinforcing metal, the U-bolts Q, in the con.

crete at suitable points to strengthen the edges of the successive steps of the wall; but any other suitable false work may be provided. This false work being in place, the outer cylindrical mold is then set up, which may consist, as indicated in Fig. 4, of a series of vertical staves R, surrounded by metal bands S, formed in segments flanged and bolted at their meeting points. The concrete is then filled in in the usual manner up to nearly the upper edge of the. lowest section of the shaft F, as indicated in Fig. 3, being built up all at once or little by little, as desired. The caisson being sunk a suitable distance, the next section of the shaft is connected up, the expanded metal also extended, and the outer mold set in place, after which the next section of concrete is filled in, this process being continued to any desired distance, or, as previously explained, the concrete may be iirst molded and then set in position in blocks of ring form or any other desired shape. This feature of the invention will be found of considerable value where great haste is necessary, the blocks of concrete being molded beforehand and being set one on another as fast as the caisson can be moved downward and without substantial interruption to the downward movement. Fig. 4 shows the caisson as being of circular form in cross-section; but it is understood, of course, that it may be varied to suit the conditions required.

Though I have described with great particularity of detail a caisson embodying my invention, yet it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereof described, but that various modiiications of the same may be made either in the details or in the combination and arrangement of the parts by those skilled in this art without departure from the invention.

In my application for patent, Serial No. 163,7 48, filed June 30, 1903, I have illustrated another structure embodying the broad invention and have presented claims broad enough to cover said structure and also the structure illustrated herein in connection with claims specific to said other structure as'distinguished from the structure herein, the claims of the present application being restricted to points of novelty peculiar to the structure illustrated herein.

l. A pneumatic caisson having an internal' accommodate a workman, the roof of which is formed of masonry in a substantially uninterrupted mass with the body, whereby a sub- Stantially solid pier is formed of maximum weight and weight-supporting cross-section and whereby a transverse cleavage plane at the roof of the working chamber is avoided in the finished pier.

Y 2. A caisson formed of masonry With a lower cutting edge, and a skeleton metallic structure embedded in said masonry and connected to said cutting edge.

3. The combination with a caisson having a body of masonry and a cutting edge, of a shaft connected at its lower portion to said cutting edge independently of the masonry.

4. The combination with a caisson having a body of masonry and a cutting edge, of a shaft and a skeleton metallic structure connecting said cutting edge with the lower portion of said shaft.

5. The combination with a caisson having a body of masonry and a cutting edge, of a shaft and a skeleton metallic structure connecting said cutting edge with the lower portion of said shaft and embedded in said masonry.

6. A caisson having an internal shaft and a body of masonry extending solidly throughout its height from such shaft to the outer surface of the caisson, whereby a substantially solid pier is formed of maximum-weight-supporting cross-section, and having a ymetallic reinforce embedded in said body.

7. A caisson having an internal shaft and a body of masonry extending solidly throughout its height from such shaft to the outer surface of the caisson, whereby a substantially solid pier is formed of maximum-weight-supporting cross-section, and having a metallic reinforce embedded in said body near its outer surface.

8. The combination with a caisson having a body of masonry and a cutting edge, of ashaft, and a base connected to said shaft and to said cutting edge.

9. The combination with a caisson having a body of masonry and a cutting edge. of a shaft, a base connected to said shaft, and a skeleton metallic structure connecting said base and said cutting edge together.

l0. A caisson formed of masonry and having metal rods extending across the working chamber thereof.

11. A caisson having the walls of the working chamber formed of concrete in steps with metallic reinforcing in said steps.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL E. MORAN.

`Witnessesz THouAs F. VALLACE, FRED WHITE.

IOO

IIO

IIS

Disclaimer in Letters Patent No. 759,388n

:DIS OLAIMER- 759,3S8.`Da727/e E. ilbmn, Mendham, N. J. CAISSON. Patent dated May l0, 190i. Disclaimer' tiled January lf), 1915, by T/e Foundaz'on Ooi/wally,

assignee, by mesne assignments. Enters this disclaimer as follows: Y

1. Where the specification and claims of said patent refer to masonryy your petitioner disclaims all materials except concrete or equivalent plastic material-` 2. Where the specication and claims refer to caissons or a caisson or piers or a pier your petitioner disclaims all caissons or piers except pneurnatiel caissons and caissons or piers sunk on land for forming foundations for buildings l on land. l 

